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| Path: Main Street : NewsWeek : Archive : NewsBytes : Article |
This is an archive of CharityVillage NewsWeek. To find a word on the page,
use your browser's "find" feature (CTRL-F or CMD-F). Please note: While we ensure that all links and e-mail addresses are accurate
at their publishing date, the quick-changing nature of the web means that some
links to other web sites and e-mail addresses may no longer be accurate.
To view other articles in the archive, use our Chronological Index.
NewsBytes: August 2008
Articles are arranged in reverse chronological order.
McGill University receives $100 million grant
August 25, 2008
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) recently awarded the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) $99,988,343 in funding. This award represents the largest infrastructure investment the CFI has ever made, and will be used to create and equip a new, state-of-the-art medical research centre as part of the MUHC’s new facilities on the Glen Campus. This new research institute will house some of the most advanced scientific facilities, equipment and technology. It will bring together researchers in both pediatric and adult medicine, promoting discoveries that will yield new treatments and cures for patients of all ages. The CFI grant will be matched by an additional $100 million in funding from the Quebec government and approximately $50 million in funds from donors. For more information, visit: www.muhc.ca.
August 25, 2008
As reported by the globeandmail.com, the federal Conservative government is in the process of cutting $44.8 million in arts funding to programs across Canada. The majority of the cuts have been to Heritage Canada programs, and began in February of this year. At that time five programs had their funding reduced or cut altogether, including the $11.7-million Canadian Memory Fund, which gives federal agencies money to digitize collections and mount them online. Another round of cuts were announced in July, including the hotly debated PromArt program, which provided travel grants to artists taking their work around the world. For more information about Heritage Canada, visit: www.pch.gc.ca.
August 25, 2008
According to a report released by the RCMP, the World Tamil Movement (WTM) sent more than $3 million to the Tamil Tigers, a Sri Lankan based group. As reported by the National Post, the 83-page report is an analysis of the group's financial records, and alleges that the WTM raised money in Canada to finance the terrorist activities of the Tigers. In June the WTM was added to the federal government's official terrorist list, although the WTM continues to deny their involvement with the Tigers and is fighting the government's ruling. The WTM was the first community group to be added to the list. For more information, visit: www.nationalpost.com.
August 25, 2008
Police recovered the last two of twelve Bill Reid pieces stolen from the UBC Museum of Anthropology in May 2008. The gold eagle brooch was recovered intact, while the carved argillite pipe was recovered with approximately two inches of it broken off and currently missing. Although the RCMP are pleased that they have been able to recover all the stolen pieces, they are seeking any information which will lead to the recovery of the broken-off piece of the carved argillite pipe. Meanwhile, all of the recovered Bill Reid pieces have been returned to the UBC Museum of Anthropology. They are being examined to determine suitability for exhibition when the Museum re-opens again in March 2009 after a six-month closure for renovations. Three Mexican jewellery pieces, heavily damaged, remain in police hands. For more information, visit: www.moa.ubc.ca.
Fast Fact: Irish survey shows increased interest in philanthropy
August 25, 2008
A new Irish survey shows that professional advisors in that country are seeing an increased interest in philanthropy. Of those surveyed, 27% of professional advisors reported an increase in inquiries about philanthropy in the last 12 months. When asked about their approach to the topic of philanthropy, 58% of advisors had never discussed philanthropy with a client, and 43% believed that clients require assets in excess of €1m, excluding a principal residence, to start to think about philanthropy. Another 56% believe the level of giving could double to €1 billion by 2013. -- Community Foundation for Ireland
August 25, 2008
The CN Canadian Women’s Open raised $1 million for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Foundation through the CN Miracle Match program. The CN Miracle Match is designed to rally communities across Canada to support children’s hospitals. Each year since 2006, CN has raised funds to support a children’s hospital by matching funds raised through various initiatives that are connected with the CN Canadian Women’s Open. The CHEO Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to furthering the physical, mental and social well being of children and their families in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec by raising, managing and disbursing funds to the CHEO centre. For more information, visit: www.cheofoundation.com.
August 25, 2008
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) released its eighth annual National Report Card on Health Care in Canada, focusing on both access to health care services and mental health care in Canada. The CMA's National Report Card on Health Care measures public opinion gathered by Ipsos-Reid to paint a portrait of Canadians' attitudes and experiences with the health care system. "This year's report card shines a harsh, and frankly unflattering, light on the attitudes we Canadians have concerning mental health," said CMA President, Dr. Brian Day. "In some ways, mental illness is the final frontier of socially-acceptable discrimination. Can you imagine the public uproar if mental health was replaced with race, gender or religion?" The report card also shows that the public's evaluation of the health care system is up slightly over last year and that perceptions of the actions of the federal government in dealing with health care remained largely unchanged from last year. For more information, and to view the full report, visit: www.cma.ca. (PDF)
August 25, 2008
The Ontario Association of Food Banks (OAFB) released a new report entitled Our Choice for a Better Ontario: A Plan to Cut Poverty in Half by 2020. The report outlines more than 24 ideas for improving conditions for Ontario's low-income families, and suggests that if the province could cut poverty in half by 2020 that more than 500,000 people would be affected. Based on focus groups of over 70 food bank users from across the province, the report highlights the need for affordable financial services and public housing. The 63-page report was submitted to the province's Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction, and is one of approximately 600 submissions the committee has received since they began their work this spring. For more information, and to view the full report, visit: www.oafb.ca. (PDF)
August 25, 2008
The majority of Canadians, 52%, are taking environmental action because it is "just something I do," while 20% credit the media for inspiring them to be environmentally-friendly, according to a new survey. The survey found that 22% say they're volunteering on a monthly basis to make their community more environmentally-friendly, with BC and Alberta residents most likely to volunteer each month, at 34% each. Besides volunteering, 58% of Canadians say they are taking deliberate action to reduce their impact on the environment by disposing of waste properly and recycling. Canadians 55 and over are the country's most active recyclers (69%) compared to 46% of Canadians aged 18-34. Regionally, residents of Manitoba and Saskatchewan (70%) are the most likely to recycle and dispose of waste properly. Canadians say they are also reducing energy consumption by turning off lights and electronics (16%) and driving less (12%). However, only 7% of Canadians say they are purchasing products with less packaging and only 4% are buying organic/locally grown foods. -- Angus Reid Strategies
August 25, 2008
According to a new US survey, commissioned by New York University's Organizational Performance Initiative, nonprofit organizations are not quickly regaining the goodwill they lost in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In her article Public Confidence in Nonprofit Groups Slides Back, New Survey Finds, Suzanne Perry summarizes the results of the survey which showed that only 25% of respondents belive that nonprofit groups do a "very good" job of helping people. The number of respondents who have a "great deal" or "fair amount" of confidence in nonprofit groups dropped from 69% in 2006 to 64%. For more information, or to download the full article, visit: www.nyu.edu. (PDF)
August 25, 2008
The new RBC Wicket Cricket Community Fund, which will support programs and projects to make the sport more accessible to Canadian youth, began accepting grant applications for 2008. Community organizations may be eligible for a grant if they provide a safe and welcoming environment for cricket, build awareness for the sport within their community, show strong community management with solid participation, and/or demonstrate innovation in program delivery. Grants will range from $500 - $1,000 each, up to a total of $50,000. Funding will be based on budget and need, preference will be given to programs or projects that are at the grassroots level, focus on young people 4 - 17 years of age, have the potential to improve the game of cricket in their communities, and show evidence of long-term sustainability. For more information or to download an application form, visit: www.rbc.com/cricket/.
August 25, 2008
The Campaign for Cancer Care received a gift of $400,000 from Husky Energy that will be designated to the purchase of a new 4-dimensional CT Simulator that will enable the cancer care teams at the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre to enhance the accuracy of radiation treatment planning. The 4D Simulator will allow the treatment teams to deliver higher doses of radiation and will specifically pinpoint the tumour area, resulting in less harm to healthy tissue and leading to better outcomes for cancer patients. For more information about the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre, visit: www.cancercarefoundation.nl.ca.
August 18, 2008
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revoked the registered charity status of International Charity Association Network (ICAN) effective August 9, 2008. According to the Toronto Star, the charity is planning on closing its doors and distributing its nearly $2 million in assets to other community groups, after recently giving up the fight against the CRA's decision. The notice of intent to revoke and other letters relating to the grounds for revocation are available to the public on request by calling 1-800-267-2384. The CRA is reviewing all tax shelter-related donation arrangements (for example, schemes that typically promise donors tax receipts worth more than the actual amount of the donation), and it plans to audit every participating charity, promoter, and investor. For more information, visit: www.cra-arc.gc.ca.
August 18, 2008
The International Rescue Committee lost four of its members, including two Canadians, who were dedicated to improving the lives of children in Afghanistan. On the morning of Wednesday, August 13th, Shirley Case, Nicole Dial and Jackie Kirk were returning to Kabul with IRC drivers Mohammad Aimal and Zabiullah from Paktya, Afghanistan. They had spent the past two days meeting with the local community about an IRC project that aids children with disabilities. During their drive home, their clearly marked IRC vehicle came under heavy gunfire, killing the three women and driver Mohammad Aimal. Zabiullah was severely wounded and is now recovering in a Kabul hospital. Jackie Kirk was from Montreal, while Shirley Case hailed from Williams Lake, BC. IRC programs in Afghanistan have been suspended as the organization evaluates next steps. For more information, visit: www.theirc.org.
August 18, 2008
Health Canada released a new report on climate change, entitled Human Health in a Changing Climate: A Canadian Assessment of Vulnerabilities and Adaptive Capacity. Topics covered in the report include vulnerabilities to natural hazards and extreme weather; air quality, climate change and health; impacts of climate change on water-, food-, vector- and rodent-borne diseases; health impacts of climate change in Quebec; and health impacts on Canada's north. The report is currently in print production, and is available by request. To receive low-resolution PDFs (8 megabytes) of the report via email, please contact ccadaptation@hc-sc.gc.ca. If you would like to receive an interactive CD of the report (available after August 22, 2008), please contact the publication office for Health Canada at www.hc-sc.gc.ca.
August 18, 2008
The Kaiser Foundation's National Awards for Excellence Program honours the outstanding work being done by the thousands of Canadian organizations, communities, and individuals who are engaged in the fields of mental health and addictions. Each award recipient receives a $10,000 grant to be given to a recognized charity of their choice. The 2009 awards will take place on May 20, in Montréal, Québec. Nominations close on November 14, 2008. For more information, and to submit a nomination, visit: www.kaiserfoundation.ca/awards.
August 18, 2008
In order to gather more information on American nonprofit organizations' advocacy and lobbying efforts, the Johns Hopkins Nonprofit Listening Post Project surveyed 832 US organizations. The resulting report, Nonprofit America: A Force for Democracy?, written by Lester M. Salamon and Stephanie Lessans Geller with the assistance of Susan C. Lorentz, summarizes key findings from the survey. The report found that the majority of organizations are participating in regular lobbying efforts, although they are investing very little funds in these activities and usually do not have staff positions dedicated to this work. For more information, and to download the full report, visit: www.jhu.edu. (PDF)
August 18, 2008
Harvey McKinnon, well-known fundraiser and author, is releasing an updated version of his book The Power of Giving, co-written with Azim Jamal. All author royalties for the book will be donated to nonprofit organizations through the Tides Foundation. The book covers such topics as how giving can directly improve your health and fitness and your relationships, how to live to your potential and find meaning and happiness, and how to discover what you can give and when. For more information, visit: www.thepowerofgiving.org.
August 18, 2008
According to a new survey, 49% of Canadians say they are very likely to refuse to buy a product from a company based on hearing negative news about the organization. The survey found that, among the factors that go into building trust, a company’s reputation is almost as important as other, more tangible product and service characteristics, such as price, value and customer service. The survey points to the emergence of a new consumer attitude around corporate accountability and social responsibility that may transform the market. This new consumer attitude is reflected in the way a core group of consumers is making choices. For example, over the past six months, one-third of Canadians say they have recommended a green product to someone they know, and 28% have refused to purchase a product from a company that they believe has a poor reputation. -- TNS Canadian Facts
August 18, 2008
Each year the McMaster Students Union (MSU) hosts a gala event known as the McMaster Charity Ball. In the past nine years, the event has raised more than $140,000 for local Hamilton and area charities. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the event, where an estimated 2,000 students will be in attendance at the Hamilton Convention Centre to dance the night away, while raising an anticipated $30,000 for charity. MSU is currently seeking proposals from charities on how they could use the money raised. If you wish to submit a proposal for these funds, please outline the following:
- Why your organization is in need of funds
- The number of people benefiting from the funds
- How the funds will be used (funds must stay in the Hamilton area)
- How your organization will help leading up to the event
- How your organization will be involved the day/night of the event
The deadline for proposals is September 1st. For more information, or to submit your proposal, please write to events@msu.mcmaster.ca or charityball@msu.mcmaster.ca.
August 18, 2008
The National Post’s Raise-a-Reader campaign seeks to use the media to raise funds, awareness, and resources for family literacy programs in the Greater Toronto Area. If your organization is interested in receiving funding for a literacy program in the GTA, you are invited to submit an application. Fund recipients must be a registered not-for-profit society or have a charitable number, and literacy programs must exist within the GTA. Funds allocated from the 2008 campaign must be used during the 2009 calendar year. The submission deadline is November 1st. For more information or to download an application form, visit: www.raiseareader.com.
August 18, 2008
American businessman Ralph Hostetter, a long-time seasonal resident on Prince Edward Island, made a $250,000 donation to the School of Business at the University of Prince Edward Island. Ralph Hostetter's gift has been used to support the Business School's capital campaign and to establish an annual scholarship in memory of his friend and business colleague, George Howatt. The George E. Howatt Memorial Scholarship will be given out annually to a student entering the Master of Business Administration program at UPEI. For more information, visit: welcome.upei.ca.
August 11, 2008
The Canada Revenue Agency Charities Directorate will be offering Charities Information Sessions (previously known as Roadshows) once again in 2008. The fall sessions will be held in various cities in Ontario, Quebec, and eastern Canada. Registration for these sessions opened August 5. Private sessions for AGMs, training sessions, or special meetings may also be available if there is an information session being held in your area. The Charities Directorate is also looking for organizations to host public sessions. For more information, including to register for a session or to apply to host a session, visit: www.cra-arc.gc.ca.
August 11, 2008
Are you a nonprofit board member? Why? Researchers at McMaster University are studying what it's like to volunteer on a board. They are seeking survey participants who are currently board members of charities or nonprofit organizations to fill out a brief, confidential survey about why people volunteer to serve on boards, how they are recruited, and what these experiences mean to them. The information collected will be used to help nonprofit organizations to manage their boards more effectively. For more information, visit: www.infofeedback.net. The survey is also available in French at www.infofeedback.net/4DCGI/GENQ/66.
August 11, 2008
According to a new study, not only are more people doing research online prior to making a charitable donation, they're looking in more places and they're looking more often. The organization's own website is by far the most important, with 37% of all respondents saying they look there first for information. Another 24% say they look up the organization on the websites of "independent rating organizations". Ten percent turn to online discussion groups and 8% go to blogs. -- NonProfit Times
August 11, 2008
Three innovative programs that are fighting to expose, confront, and halt global slavery have just been announced as winners of an international competition, titled "Ending Global Slavery: Everyday Heroes Leading the Way," sponsored by Humanity United and Ashoka's Changemakers. The three winners of this social-innovation challenge are:Launched in April 2008, the competition generated more than 230 nominated initiatives from nearly 50 countries. Each of the three winners, chosen through online voting, will receive a $5,000 award. For more information, including a list of finalists, visit: www.changemakers.net.
- The Emancipation Network from the United States. This organization fights slavery by building the abolition movement in the United States, supporting economic alternatives and education so that survivors and high risk communities are empowered to be "slavery proofed".
- Carpets for Communities from Cambodia, a group that focuses on instant intervention into child trafficking and labour by empowering mothers to earn a steady income from home and return their children to school.
- TheCode.org from the United States, which gives the tourism industry an operational tool to prevent and combat child sex tourism and to protect children's rights.
August 11, 2008
The New Pioneers Awards recognize the contributions and achievements of immigrants and refugees in their communities and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). A community-driven effort, the awards positively and publicly acknowledge newcomers across six award categories: Arts, Community Service, Entrepreneurship, Science & Technology, Youth, and Skills for Change Graduate. To be eligible, nominees must be born outside of Canada, must have overcome barriers in starting a new life in Canada, must demonstrate a real and substantial connection to the GTA, and must have made contributions to the immigrant, refugee and/or wider community. Nominees should be 18 years or older except for the Youth Awards, where candidates must be aged 16 - 24, or up to age 29 if disabled. For more information, and to submit a nomination, visit: www.skillsforchange.org/npa.
August 11, 2008
While 83% of Canadians say they are motivated to make personal changes that would benefit the environment, only 39% say they are very or somewhat financially able to make these changes. As well, 65% say the term 'green' has been used so much that it doesn't have much meaning for them anymore when a company claims it, and 85% want standards enforced on producers and labeling that certifies and explains terms such as organic, low emissions, and green. Regionally, Quebecers have a higher level of concern for the environment and are more motivated to make changes in their lives than the rest of the country and, at 46%, are the most likely to say they are financially able. Less than one-third of Atlantic Canadians say they are financially able to make personal changes to benefit the environment. -- Gandalf Group
August 11, 2008
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invites nominations for the 2009 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize for organizations that have made extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering anywhere in the world. The $1.5 million prize, the world’s largest humanitarian award, is presented annually to an established nonprofit, charitable, or non-governmental organization. The prize is not a grant based on future goals, but an award for recent and historic accomplishments. An independent international panel of jurors makes the final selection. The 2008 award will be presented this fall. Nominated organizations must have an operating budget (expenditures) greater than $500,000 USD. Nominations must be received or postmarked by November 3, 2008. For more information, including more eligibility requirements and to submit a nomination, visit: www.hiltonfoundation.org.
August 11, 2008
The Conference Board of Canada released a new 52-page report entitled The Role of the Board of Directors in Corporate Social Responsibility. The report examines corporate social responsibility and ways in which a board of directors can provide oversight and strategic direction on a firm's social and environmental performance. Key issues include the critical role of the firm's CEO and chair and their influence on the board's uptake of corporate social responsibility (CSR). As well, the integration of CSR into the firm's performance management system and strategic planning (both of which come under the influence of the board of directors) will have a profound effect on CSR performance in the years ahead. For more information, and to download the report, visit: www.conferenceboard.ca.
August 11, 2008
Eight volunteer centres from across Alberta were recently identified as candidates to take part in a pilot project to increase the ability of rural nonprofit/voluntary sector (NPVS) organizations to engage immigrant volunteers. Volunteer Alberta will work with these volunteer centres to research and develop solutions comprised of practical resources and training. The project will begin its research phase this fall, with focus groups for both managers of volunteers and immigrants in the pilot communities. If your organization is interested in participating in a focus group or is working on a complementary project, please contact Volunteer Alberta at 1-877- 915-6336 or progmgr@volunteeralberta.ab.ca. For more information about Volunteer Alberta, visit: www.volunteeralberta.ab.ca.
August 11, 2008
Are you ready for the National Do Not Call List (DNCL)? Have you decided how your systems and processes will comply with the new regulations? The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) wants to make sure organizations have all the information they need, and is offering free webinars on August 14, 2008 to provide the most up-to-date information on all the new telemarketing rules. An overview specifically geared toward organizations that make exempted calls, including registered charities, will be held in a French session at 11am (EDT) and an English session at 1pm (EDT) on August 14, 2008. Please RSVP with your contact name, organization name, e-mail address, and the date and time of the session you would like to attend by end of day, August 11, 2008. For more information, or to RSVP, e-mail: LNNTE-NationalDNCL@crtc.gc.ca.
August 11, 2008
This year, you can become part of BC history. The Royal BC Museum wants your story - and your help in spreading the word about The People's History Project, a website where people from across the province can share memories and stories of British Columbia from a personal point of view. Filled with photographs, text, audio and video submissions, The People's History Project is accepting story submissions until January 11, 2009. At that time it will live on in the BC Archives as an electronic time capsule of BC history as seen through the eyes of British Columbians in 2008 - the province's 150th anniversary year. For more information, visit: www.freespiritbc.ca/peopleshistory.
August 5, 2008
The HR Council for the Voluntary & Non-profit Sector (HR Council) is currently conducting a comprehensive Labour Force Study and has released the study’s second report, Findings from Canada-wide Surveys of Employers and Employees. Conducted on behalf of the HR Council by Ipsos Reid, the parallel surveys provide an overall national picture of paid employment in the sector. The Survey of Employers provides empirical evidence about the characteristics of organizations, their recruitment and retention practices and challenges, as well as their skills needs. The Survey of Employees provides new statistical information about the demographic characteristics of the people who work in the sector, what they find satisfying and dissatisfying about their jobs, and their plans and expectations for the future. CharityVillage will be featuring more information on the study in an upcoming Cover Story. For more information, and to download the two published reports, visit: www.hrcouncil.ca.
August 5, 2008
The National Do Not Call List and changes to the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules are set to begin September 30, 2008. Initiated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the program allows citizens to self-register their phone numbers on the list, thereby limiting the scope of telemarketing in Canada, with possible penalties of $15,000 for each infraction. Although charities will be exempt from having to respect the list, it is important for organizations to fully understand how the program will affect them. For more information, visit: www.crtc.gc.ca.
August 5, 2008
A new study that asked Canadians what problem they would fix with $1 billion of the federal government's money found that 33% would cut long healthcare waits, 17% would cut greenhouse gas emissions, and 15% would put the money into post-secondary education. Respondents indicated that "keeping the economy strong" and "shortening healthcare wait times" were two top priorities. The federal Conservative government scored low points on shortening healthcare wait times, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and tackling violent crime. -- Corporate Research Associates
August 5, 2008
The Ottawa Citizen reported last week that Harvest House, an Ottawa charity offering rehabilitation programs for men addicted to alcohol, is suing their ex-bookkeeper, Scott Caldwell. Harvest House alleges that Caldwell defrauded the organization of more than $350,000, which he used to buy a new house and pay off his credit card debt. Caldwell was criminally charged in June, after which Harvest House filed their civil lawsuit. Caldwell, who was himself a former client of the organization, allegedly wrote unauthorized cheques to himself in the amount of $185,000, misappropriated $154,000 from a fundraising account, and another $14,000 from a special events fund. For more information about Harvest House, visit: www.harvesthouse.org.
August 5, 2008
The Conference Board of Canada released a new report entitled Valuing Culture: Measuring and Understanding Canada's Creative Economy. Prepared for the International Forum on the Creative Economy, this report highlights the substantial social, cultural, and economic contributions of Canada's culture sector and assesses its economic footprint. The Conference Board estimates that the economic footprint of Canada’s culture sector was $84.6 billion in 2007, or 7.4% of Canada’s total real GDP, including direct, indirect, and induced contributions. Culture sector employment exceeded 1.1 million jobs in 2007. For more information, and to download the paper, visit: www.conferenceboard.ca.
August 5, 2008
As reported by the Globe and Mail, former senator Michael Kirby, currently chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, is heading up a new mental health fundraising charity. Kirby advocates the need for a national fundraising body for mental health issues, something similar to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The new charity, at this time tentatively called Mind and Brain Canada, will not conduct its own research but instead will distribute funds to researchers across the country, and will also work to raise public awareness about mental health issues. The charity has not yet been granted its nonprofit status, however they are expecting to launch the new venture early in 2009. For more information, visit: www.theglobeandmail.com.
August 5, 2008
Densely populated cities and increased air travel can be factors that create and spread pandemic disease. But a McMaster University researcher is working with isolated Hutterite communities to understand the transmission of pandemic diseases like influenza. Dr. Mark Loeb and his research team received $1.6 million in funding to carry out the research from the Rx&D Health Research Foundation (HRF), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Dr. Loeb will work with Hutterite communities in western Canada to examine the transmission of flu viruses from person to person and from pigs to humans. His team's new research will detect influenza viruses in humans and pigs in Hutterite communities, and use computer modelling to analyze the transmission of the virus. For more information, visit: www.fhs.mcmaster.ca.
August 5, 2008
While 80% of Canadians consider the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions, the majority of consumers believe that environmental claims are often just marketing ploys, according to a new report. The report revealed that cost was the primary barrier of adopting more environmentally-friendly practices among consumers, as green products are overwhelmingly seen to be more expensive than regular products. And while they are perceived as more costly, two-thirds of Canadians simply don't believe that it costs more to produce them. Among other interesting findings, the survey showed that women are significantly more likely (88%) to consider environmental impact while making purchasing decisions over men (71%), which has major implications for company target marketing. -- Gandalf Group
August 5, 2008
A new publication by the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition, called Healthy Communities and the Built Environment, will make facts available and increase awareness of the health impacts of the built environment. Written in a popular style, it will be aimed primarily at health promoters, planners, municipal elected officials, community organizations and environmental groups. It will include a collection of modules, each one relating to a particular aspect of how the built environment impacts on health, with a positive message of how communities can be designed to promote health. They are looking for contributors and are asking interesetd authors to submit unpublished contributions by August 15, 2008. For more information, including specific subject areas and how to submit your contribution, visit: www.ohpe.ca.
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